28th April – 2nd May 2023, venue TBC
Welcome to the Schapiro Spring Foursomes!
The Spring Fours is one of the great events in the English calendar. The principal event the Schapiro Trophy has become one of the toughest events in domestic bridge. It is run on double-elimination lines over nine sessions each of 32 boards. A secondary event, the Punchbowl, will be open to teams eliminated before Saturday evening. It has a round-robin qualifier followed by a mini knockout. The Hamilton Cup is a more relaxed event for teams seeking a game on Monday (bank holiday in England).
Due to the generous sponsorship arrangement in place for this event, prizes are approximately twice the normal EBU value (e.g. approx £1,600 - £2,000 for the winning team based on the typical size of the original entries). We wish to express our gratitude to Mrs Helen Schapiro in supporting this most prestigious event in this way, and in donating a trophy in the name of her husband, the late, and truly great, Boris Schapiro. It is part of the Championship Series, in which points can be earned towards the Player of the Year Championship.
To enter
The easiest way to enter is online through My EBU. Log-in and select 'Book Events' from the Utilities menu. You can also call 01296 317203 or email comps@ebu.co.uk. Late entries will only be accepted if they assist the schedule.
Congress Prices
The prices for our face-to-face congresses and competitions remain about the same as they were before the pandemic started, which reflects the fact that major green-pointed events always attract a premium.
We have worked hard to keep bridge going since the start of the pandemic, but with it still affecting everything we need to continue to work hard to keep the EBU going financially. Although we took advantage of all government support that we were entitled to, made a number of staff redundant and cut costs everywhere we could, we still need to carry on taking care to avoid using our reserves at an unsustainable rate. With the furlough scheme having ended this has become even more difficult.
Competitions are one way of raising the money necessary for the EBU's survival and we will be following this pricing strategy for all our congresses and major competitions.
Holders
2022
Schapiro Trophy: Jeffrey Allerton, Tony Forrester, Frances Hinden, Chris Jagger & Graham Osborne
Punchbowl: Mike Bell, Fiona Brown, Ollie Burgess, Michael Byrne, Maggie Knottenbelt & Ben Norton
Hamilton Cup: Paul Barden, David Kendrick, Sara Moran & Claire Robinson
Day | Times | Description |
---|---|---|
Friday 28th April | 7.30pm | Session 1 - 32-board matches or initial round-robins or triangles |
Saturday 29th - Monday 1st May | 10.30am and 4.00pm | Sessions 2-7 - 32-board matches |
Monday 1st May | 10.30am | Punchbowl |
11.30am | Hamilton Cup (Swiss Teams) | |
Tuesday 2nd May | 10.30am and 4.00pm | Schapiro Semi-Final and Final |
The EBU reserves the right to close entry at a convenient number of teams | |
---|---|
Full Event | £540 per team |
Hamilton Cup only | £116 per team |
Master Points
All events are fully Green Pointed. Awards in the main event reflect its prestigious nature.
Agreements
Level 5 agreements are permitted in all events.
Venue and Tariff
The venue for 2023
The venue for 2023 has not yet been confirmed
Why play?
Well mainly because, in our opinion, it is the best teams event on the EBU calendar! Spanning five days, you get a lot of bridge for your money and a great experience to boot. This is what one of our members said about it: "As a life-long underperformer, I revelled in the chance of playing in this event. Seeds don't enter the Gold Cup until round 3, so I thought I would never face off against the world's best. At the Spring Foursomes, though, I had a great chance of losing to the likes of Zia Mahmood, Andrew Robson and David Burn. Maybe I'll be losing to your team this year!" -Edgar Dolittle, Tunbridge Wells
I don't have any team mates!
You do need team mates for this event, but we might be able to help. Please send us an email and we'll try to play matchmaker.
Previous Winners
Did not take place in 2020 due to Covid-19
Spring Foursomes - the history
Find a partner/team mates
If you are looking for a partner or team mates for this congress, please email comps@ebu.co.uk